JP2013020970A - Electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical connector assembly that has less ground contacts than known connector assemblies.SOLUTION: An electrical connector receptacle assembly (106) comprises an interposer (110) having a side surface (114) and an array (118) of electrical contacts (120) exposed along the side surface. The electrical contacts are located within a contact region (128) that extends along the side surface and configured to engage an electronic module (102) mounted over the contact region. A shielding matrix (130) includes a shield wall (127) that extends along the side surface and separates the contact region into shielded sub-regions (244). The shield wall includes a conductive material and is electrically coupled to the interposer. At least one electrical contact is located within each shielded sub-region. The shield wall extends between adjacent electrical contacts to shield the adjacent electrical contacts from electromagnetic interference.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly for interconnecting electronic modules and electrical components.

  Competition and market demands continue to trend towards smaller and faster performance (eg, faster) electrical systems and devices. The demand for higher density electrical systems and devices has led to the development of surface mount technology. In surface mounting technology, an electronic module is mounted on the surface of an electrical component such as a printed circuit board. The electrical component typically has a pad or electrical contact exposed on the surface that electrically connects to the electronic module. Examples of surface mount connectors include land grid array (LGA) assemblies and ball grid array (BGA) assemblies. In some cases, the connector assembly includes an interposer disposed between the electronic module and the electrical component. The interposer communicatively connects the electronic module and the electrical component.

US Pat. No. 6,400,277

  During operation of the connector assembly, the current transmitted through the signal contacts can cause electromagnetic interference (EMI) that adversely affects overall electrical performance. In order to control or reduce EMI, the electrical contact has a ground contact in the signal contact. The ground contacts are arranged in the array such that individual signal contacts or differential pairs of signal contacts are surrounded by the ground contacts to shield the signal contacts. However, in order to provide sufficient shielding between adjacent signal contacts or signal contact pairs, each signal contact or signal contact pair has a ground contact as a signal contact or signal contact pair and each adjacent signal contact or signal contact pair. Is typically surrounded by a plurality of signal contacts. As a result, the ground contact occupies the space in the array that would otherwise be occupied by the signal contact without the ground contact.

  Accordingly, there is a need to improve the shielding between signal contacts in the electrical connector assembly.

  The above problem is solved by an electrical connector assembly according to claim 1.

  In accordance with the present invention, an electrical connector assembly includes an interposer having a side surface and an array of electrical contacts exposed along the side surface. The electrical contact is disposed in a contact area extending along the side and is configured to engage an electronic module mounted on the contact area. The shield matrix has a shield wall extending along the side surface and dividing the contact region into a plurality of shield subregions. The shield wall has a conductive material and is electrically connected to the interposer. At least one electrical contact is disposed within each shield subregion. The shield wall extends between adjacent electrical contacts to shield the adjacent electrical contacts from electromagnetic interference.

1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical system having an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a front view of the shield wall used with the electrical connector assembly of FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a shield frame assembly used in the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1. It is an enlarged view of the shield frame assembly of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the shield frame assembly of FIG. 2 when the shield frame assembly is configured. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configured electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 after the electrical connector assembly is mounted on the interposer. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and a detailed view of the electrical connector assembly. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is an expansion perspective view of the shield frame assembly concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is an expansion perspective view of the shield frame assembly concerning one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a partially exploded view of an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the electrical connector assembly of FIG. FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 12. 1 is a perspective view showing an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 15. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 18 is a plan view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a side view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 17 engaging an electronic module. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electrical connector assembly formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The embodiments described herein comprise an electrical connector assembly that includes an interposer having a base substrate and an array of electrical contacts coupled to the base substrate. The interposer has one side. One or more shield walls of the electrical connector assembly extend along one side between adjacent electrical contacts. For example, the shield wall extends upright perpendicular to the side surface. The electronic module is configured to be mounted on a shield wall on the electrical connector assembly. The various embodiments described herein have one or more ground paths that exist through the shield wall and extend to the interposer. In some embodiments, the ground path extends from the electronic module through the shield wall to the interposer. In another embodiment, the ground path extends from the exposed electrical contact along the side wall, through the shield wall to the interposer. In some embodiments, the shield wall is electrically connected to the interposer via a through hole. In another embodiment, the shield wall has a protrusion. The protrusion extends through the base substrate to an electrical contact on the other side of the base substrate to which the protrusion is electrically connected. Various embodiments described herein may have a plurality of shield walls that form a shield matrix.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical system 100 having an electrical connector assembly 106 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 includes an electronic module 102, an electrical component 104, and an electrical connector assembly 106 disposed between the electronic module 102 and the electronic component 104 and interconnecting the electronic module 102 and the electronic component 104. The electrical connector assembly 106 includes a shield frame assembly 108 and an interposer 110 that are stacked together. The electrical connector assembly 106 is disposed between the electronic module 102 and the electrical component 104 and is configured to transmit current (eg, in the form of a data signal) through a plurality of conductive paths. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 is oriented with respect to mutually orthogonal axes 191-193 comprising a horizontal axis 191, 192 and a vertical axis 193.

  In some embodiments, the electronic module 102 receives and processes input data signals and provides output data signals. The electronic module 102 can be any of various types of modules such as a chip, package, central processing unit (CPU), processor, memory, microprocessor, integrated circuit, printed circuit, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electrical connector, etc. one of. In one exemplary embodiment, the electrical component 104 is a printed circuit board (PCB), but may be other electrical components that can communicate with the electronic module 102 via the electrical connector assembly 106. Although not shown, the electrical system 100 may include a heat sink. A heat sink is mounted on the electronic module 102 and a portion of the electrical connector assembly 106 to facilitate the dissipation of thermal energy from the electrical system 100.

Interposer 110 has opposite side surfaces 114 and 116 along a vertical axis 193. Interposer 110 includes a base substrate 112 having a thickness T ₁ defined between side surfaces 114 and 116. The side surface 114 is configured such that the shield frame assembly 108 is mounted thereon. The base substrate 112 is manufactured in the same manner as the PCB. For example, the base substrate 112 has a plurality of stacked layers made of a dielectric material and conductive paths formed through vias, plated through holes, conductive traces, and the like that penetrate the stacked layers. The base substrate 112 is made of any material such as ceramic, glass-filled epoxy, polyimide (for example, Kapton (registered trademark)), organic material, plastic, polymer, or the like, but is not limited to these materials. As shown in FIG. 1, the base substrate 112 has a shield hole 136. The shield hole 136 extends into the base substrate 112 to a predetermined depth. The shield hole 136 may extend partway through the thickness T ₁ or may extend throughout the thickness.

  Interposer 110 also has an array 118 of electrical contacts 120 exposed along side 114. In the illustrated embodiment, the array 118 has rows and columns of aligned electrical contacts 120. However, in other embodiments, the electrical contacts 120 may be arranged in a different desired arrangement. In certain embodiments, electrical contact 120 is a separate component that is separate from base substrate 112. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the electrical contacts 120 are stamped and bent from a plate and electrically connected to the base substrate 112. Although not shown, the electrical contact 120 has a contact tail portion that is inserted into a corresponding plated through hole of the base substrate 112.

  In other embodiments, the electrical contact 120 is a separate component separate from the base substrate 112 that is mechanically and electrically connected to the base substrate 112 by other means. For example, the electrical contact 120 may be soldered to the contact pad along the side 114. The electrical contact 120 may be manufactured with the base substrate 112. For example, the electrical contact 120 may be a contact pad. In such an embodiment, the mating contact of the electronic module 102 may be specifically configured to engage the electrical contact of the interposer 110.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the shield frame assembly 108 includes a socket frame 124 and a plurality of shield walls 127. The socket frame 124 has a plurality of frame walls 131 to 134 connected to each other. The frame walls 131-134 are configured to surround and define the contact or receiving area 128 of the shield frame assembly 108 where electrical contacts are disposed on the electrical connector assembly 106. The shield wall 127 is configured to penetrate the contact region 128. In particular embodiments, the shield walls 127 are arranged to form a shield matrix 130. The shield walls 127 can cross each other. As described in detail below, shield wall 127 and shield matrix 130 are configured to control or reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) that occurs during operation of electrical system 100.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connector assembly 106 may comprise a surface grid assembly such as a land grid array (LGA) assembly and a ball grid array (BGA) assembly. However, the invention described and shown herein is not limited to the number and type of parts shown in the figures, and may include additional parts or the like not shown or described herein. It should be understood that it may operate in conjunction with these additional components and the like. Thus, the following description and drawings are provided for purposes of illustration and not limitation, and are intended to illustrate only certain uses of the invention described and illustrated herein.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the first shield wall 127A and the second shield wall 127B used in the shield frame assembly 108 (see FIG. 1). 127 A of 1st shield walls have the wall main body 202 extended between wall edge part 204,206. The first shield wall 127A extends a length L ₁ between wall end part 204, 206. The wall body 202 has a substantially panel-like or plate-like structure having opposing side surfaces extending substantially parallel to each other. A thickness T ₂ (see FIG. 4) of the wall body 202 is defined between the opposing side surfaces. The wall body 202 has a module edge 208 and a part edge 210 extending between the wall ends 204, 206 substantially parallel to each other. The first shield wall 127A extends between module edges 208 and components edges 210 at a height H _1. Module edge 208 is configured to interface with electronic module 102 (see FIG. 1). The component edge 210 is configured to align with the electrical component 104 (see FIG. 1).

The second shield wall 127 </ b> B has a wall body 222 that extends between the wall ends 224 and 226. The wall body 222 has a substantially panel-like or plate-like structure having opposing side surfaces extending substantially parallel to each other. A thickness T ₃ (see FIG. 4) of the wall body 222 is defined between the opposing side surfaces. The thicknesses T ₂ and T ₃ may be, for example, thinner than 0.127 mm, more specifically 0.051 mm or 0.025 mm. The wall body 222 has a module edge 228 and a part edge 230 that extend between the wall ends 224 and 226 substantially parallel to each other. Second shield wall 127B extends between module edges 228 and components edges 230 at a height H _2. Module edge 228 is configured to align with electronic module 102. The component edge 230 is configured to align with the electrical component 104.

  The shield walls 127A, 127B have various structures that facilitate control of the effects of EMI during operation of the electrical system 100 (see FIG. 1) and formation of the shield matrix 130 (see FIG. 1). For example, the first shield wall 127A has tabs 205 and 207 at the wall end portions 204 and 206, respectively. Tabs 205 and 207 are configured to engage with socket frame 124 (see FIG. 1). The first shield wall 127 </ b> A also has a plurality of mounting protrusions 212 protruding from the component edge 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting protrusion 212 is a tail or pin. The mounting protrusion 212 is configured to be inserted into the shield hole 136 (see FIG. 1) to mechanically and electrically engage the first shield wall 127A and the base substrate 112 (see FIG. 1).

  The first shield wall 127A also includes a plurality of ground structures 214 configured to engage the electronic module 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground structure 214 is a beam that projects away from the module edge 208, ie, beyond the module edge 208. The ground structure 214 has a curved profile that allows some curvature when the electronic module 102 engages the ground structure 214. In certain embodiments, the ground structure 214 is substantially proximate to one mounting protrusion 212, so that a ground path extends between the ground structure 214 and the mounting protrusion 212. Also, as shown, the first shield wall 127A has a plurality of intersecting structures 216 along the module edge 208. In an exemplary embodiment, the cross structure 216 is a V-shaped slit or notch at the module edge 208.

  The second shield wall 127 </ b> B has tabs 225 and 227 configured to engage with the socket frame 124. The second shield wall 127 </ b> B also has a plurality of mounting protrusions 232 that protrude from the component edge 230. The mounting protrusion 232 is configured to be inserted into the shield hole 136 of the base substrate 112 to mechanically and electrically engage the second shield wall 127 </ b> B and the base substrate 112. Further, the second shield wall 127 </ b> B has a plurality of ground structures 234 configured to engage the electronic module 102. Similar to the ground structure 214, the ground structure 234 has a beam that projects away from the module edge 228, ie, beyond the module edge 228. The ground structure 234 has a curved profile that allows some curvature when the electronic module 102 engages the ground structure 234. In certain embodiments, the ground structure 234 is substantially proximate to a single mounting protrusion 232, so that a ground path extends between the ground structure 234 and the mounting protrusion 232. In addition, as illustrated, the second shield wall 127 </ b> B has a plurality of intersecting structures 236 along the component edge 230. Intersection structure 236 is a V-shaped slit or notch.

  In a specific embodiment, the shield walls 127A and 127B are stamped from conductive material plates. For example, the shield walls 127A and 127B may have a grounding structure, a crossing structure, and a mounting protrusion when a conductive material plate is punched. The grounding structure may then be bent to have a curved profile (or simultaneously). In another embodiment, the various structures described above may be machined after stamping. The shield walls 127A and 127B may be manufactured by other methods (for example, die casting). The shield walls 127A and 127B or the entire shield matrix 130 can be formed of a conductive polymer. In such a case, the shield matrix 130 may be a single continuous structure having the same or similar structure described herein.

  FIG. 2 shows only a part of the shield walls 127A and 127B. Each of the plurality of grounding structures, crossing structures, and mounting protrusions may be distributed along the length in any predetermined arrangement. For example, the ground structure may be evenly distributed along the length, the cross structure may be evenly distributed along the length, and the mounting protrusions may be evenly distributed along the length. However, in other embodiments, these structures may not be evenly distributed but may be localized to achieve a desired effect (eg, improved electrical performance).

  However, it should be understood that the shield walls 127A, 127B described above are only typical shield walls. For this reason, the shield walls 127A and 127B may be changed by various methods in order to achieve a desired mechanical effect and electrical effect. For example, the shield walls 127A and 127B have been described as having a plurality of ground structures, a plurality of mounting protrusions, and a plurality of intersecting structures, but a single ground structure, a single mounting protrusion, and a single intersecting structure. You may have. Further, the first shield wall 127A and the second shield wall 127B may have different numbers of ground structures, cross structures, and mounting protrusions.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the shield frame assembly 108. The socket frame 124 has a frame body 125 having frame walls 131 to 134. The frame main body 125 may have an integral structure. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the frame body 125 is molded from a dielectric material. The frame walls 131 and 133 face each other over the contact area 128, and the frame walls 132 and 134 face each other over the contact area 128. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame walls 131-134 have frame slots 251-254, respectively. The frame slots 251 to 254 open toward the contact area 128.

  To constitute the shield frame assembly 108, the first shield wall 127A is aligned with the corresponding frame slots 251 and 253, and the second shield wall 127B is aligned with the corresponding frame slots 252 and 254. More specifically, the first shield wall 127 </ b> A extends in parallel with the horizontal axis 192 and is separated from each other along the horizontal axis 191. The second shield walls 127 </ b> B extend in parallel to the horizontal axis 191 and are separated from each other along the horizontal axis 192. Tabs 205 and 207 are configured to be received in wall slots 251 and 253, respectively. Tabs 225 and 227 are then configured to be received in wall slots 252 and 254, respectively.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of the disassembled shield frame assembly 108, showing the shield walls 127A and 127B. As shown, the shield walls 127A, 127B each have a substantially flat body having substantially uniform thicknesses T ₂ and T ₃ . When the shield walls 127A and 127B are aligned as shown in FIG. 3, the cross structure 216 of the first shield wall 127A and the cross structure 236 of the second shield wall 127B are configured to cross each other. More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, each cross structure 216 accepts only one cross structure 236 from only one second shield wall 127B. The intersecting structures 216 and 236 extend in the lateral direction and overlap the first and second shield walls 127A and 127B and mesh with each other. Shield wall 127A. 127B is fixed to the socket frame 124 so that the shield frame assembly 108 can be mounted on the interposer 110 as one component shown in FIG. For this purpose, the socket frame 124 and the interposer 110 may have corresponding alignment structures that facilitate alignment of the shield frame assembly 108 and the interposer 110.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the shield frame assembly 108 when the shield walls 127 </ b> A and 127 </ b> B engage with each other and the socket frame 124 to form the shield matrix 130. As shown, the shield matrix 130 has a height H ₃ measured from the lowermost component edge, which may be the component edge 210 or 230, to the uppermost module edge, which may be the module edge 208 or 228. Have In the illustrated embodiment, cross-structure 216, 236 (see FIG. 2), the height H ₃ is shield wall 127A, so as to be substantially equal to the height H _1, H ₂ of 127B, is set in size and shape . In other words, the module edges 208, 228 extend along the same plane (ie, coplanar) and the component edges 210, 230 extend along the same plane. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the ground structure 214 has a curved body 215 that extends from the module edge 208 to the distal end 242.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the configured electrical connector assembly 106 having a shield frame assembly 108 coupled to the interposer 110. Contact area 128 is configured to receive array 118 of electrical contacts 120 and electrical contact 262 (see FIG. 7) of electronic module 102 when electronic module 102 (see FIG. 1) is mounted on shield frame assembly 108. The The shield walls 127A and 127B stand upright with respect to the side surface 114. When the shield matrix 130 is connected to the socket frame 124, the shield walls 127A. 127B divides the contact area 128 into a plurality of small areas composed of shielded small areas (shield small areas) 244. As shown in the configured connector assembly 106, at least one electrical contact 120 is disposed within each shield subregion 244. More specifically, shield walls 127A and 127B extend between adjacent contacts 120 to shield adjacent electrical contacts 120 from EMI.

  In an exemplary embodiment, each first shield frame 127A intersects a plurality of second shield walls 127B, and each second shield frame 127B intersects a plurality of first shield walls 127A. As shown, the array 118 has rows and columns of electrical contacts 120. The first shield wall 127A extends linearly along the horizontal axis 192 between adjacent rows of electrical contacts 120. The second shield wall 127 </ b> B extends linearly along the horizontal axis 191 between adjacent rows of the electrical contacts 120. The shield walls 127A and 127B intersect at right angles to each other. In another embodiment, the shield walls 127A, 127B may form a non-perpendicular angle with respect to each other.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the shield subregion 244 has only one electrical contact 120. However, in another embodiment, the shield subregion 244 may have more than one electrical contact 120. For example, the shield subregion 244 may have two electrical contacts 120 that form a differential pair, or may have three or more electrical contacts. Further, the shield subregion 244 may have a different number of electrical contacts 120.

  The shield frame assembly 108 can use a smaller number of ground contacts in the array 118 compared to other connector assemblies. For example, at least about 60% or at least about 70% of the electrical contacts 120 can be signal contacts configured to transmit data signals, and the remaining electrical contacts 120 can be ground contacts. In certain embodiments, at least about 90% of the electrical contacts 120 can be signal contacts. In certain embodiments, almost all electrical contacts 120 can be signal contacts.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the shield walls 127A and 127B are linear main bodies extending along only one direction. However, in another embodiment, the shield walls 127A, 127B may extend in different directions. For example, the shield walls 127A and 127B may have an L shape having two flat portions extending orthogonally to each other. In such an embodiment, the shield walls 127A and 127B are stamped and bent so as to have an L shape. Moreover, the shield walls 127A and 127B may have three or more flat portions. The shield walls 127A and 127B may have two or more curved portions.

  While contact area 128 having multiple shield subregions 244 has been described above, in other embodiments, electrical connector assembly 106 may have only two shield subregions 244. For example, a single shield wall 127 may extend across the contact region 128, thereby dividing the contact region 128 into two shield subregions 244. Depending on the shield wall 127 dividing the contact region 128, the shield subregion 244 may be sized differently.

  7 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly 106 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 with the electronic module 102 mounted. The shield wall 127 </ b> A is connected to the socket frame 124 and to the interposer 110. More specifically, tabs 207 are retained in corresponding wall slots 253. Tab 207 forms a press fit with wall slot 253. The mounting protrusion 212 is inserted into the corresponding shield hole 136. In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting protrusion 212 is mechanically and electrically coupled to the interposer 110. The shield hole 136 is electrically connected to the electrical contact 256 of the interposer 110 along the side surface 116. The electrical contact 256 is a solder ball contact, but may be other types of electrical contacts. The shield hole 136 is a plated through hole that is electrically connected to the electrical contact 256 via the conductive trace 258 of the interposer 110. Thus, a ground path exists through shield wall 127A and interposer 110 during operation of electrical system 100 (see FIG. 1).

  As shown, the electrical contact 120 is configured to project beyond the module edge 208 of the shield wall 127A. When the electronic module 102 is mounted on the connector assembly 106, the electrical contact 120 engages with the electrical contact 262 of the electronic module 102 and is compressed in a mating direction M extending along the vertical axis 193 (see FIG. 1). Is done. The ground structure 214 engages a corresponding electrical contact 263 of the electronic module 102. The component edge 210 of the shield wall 127A is aligned with the side surface 114 and the module edge 208 is aligned with the lower surface 260 of the electronic module 102.

In some embodiments, the shield walls 127A, 127B and the socket frame 124 are configured to form a grid-like mounting plane P ₁ configured to mount the electronic module 102. The placement plane P ₁ is parallel to the plane formed by the horizontal axes 191 and 192 (see FIG. 1) and extends perpendicular to the vertical axis 193. In certain embodiments, the shield wall 127A, the module edges of 127B 208 and 228 are configured to form a置平surface P ₁ mounting relative to each other. For example, the module edges 208 and 228 occupy substantially the same space along the placement plane P ₁ . The mounting plane P ₁ acts as a positive stop where the electrical contact 120 does not over-compress or unevenly compress. When the electronic module 102 is mounted on the electrical connector assembly 106, placing置平plane P ₁ prevents further compression along the mating direction M beyond the predetermined point.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly 306 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The electrical connector assembly 306 has members and structures similar to the electrical connector assembly 106 shown in FIGS. 1-7 and described above. For example, the electrical connector assembly 306 also includes an interposer 310 having a base substrate 312 and an array 318 of electrical contacts 320 coupled to the base substrate 312. In FIG. 8, only a portion of the array 318 of electrical contacts 320 is connected to the base substrate 312. The electrical contact 320 protrudes to the mating end 321 of the electrical contact 320 in a direction away from the side surface 314. The electrical connector assembly 306 also has a socket frame 324 coupled to the interposer 310. The socket frame 324 surrounds a contact area 328 extending along the side 314. Electrical contact 320 is disposed within contact area 328 and is configured to engage an electronic module (not shown). The electrical connector assembly 306 also has a shield wall 327 that extends along the base substrate 312 and divides the contact area 328 into shield subregions 344. The shield wall 327 is made of a conductive material and is electrically connected to the base substrate 312. A corresponding electrical contact 320 is disposed within each shield subregion 344. Similar to the shield wall 127 described above, the shield wall 327 facilitates control of the EMI effect.

  However, unlike the socket frame 124 and the shield wall 127 of FIG. 1, the shield wall 327 is not directly connected to the socket frame 324. As shown in detail in FIG. 8, the shield wall 327 includes a mounting protrusion 313 and mounting legs 330 and 332 configured to engage the base substrate 312. More specifically, the mounting protrusion 313 is inserted into the shield hole 336. The mounting legs 330 and 332 are soldered directly to the side surface 314. Thus, the shield wall 327 is fixed to the base substrate 312. The shield wall 327 is fixed to the base substrate 312 before, after, or during the installation of the electrical contact 320.

In an exemplary embodiment, the shield wall 327 is configured to form a grid-like placement plane similar to the grid-like placement plane P ₁ . For example, the shield wall 327 is configured such that the shield wall 327 forms a mounting plane by the module edges 338 extending along a common plane. The mounting plane acts as a positive stop where the electrical contacts 320 are not over-compressed or unevenly compressed. When the electronic module is mounted on the electrical connector assembly 306, the mounting plane P ₁ prevents further compression along the mating direction M ₂ beyond a predetermined point.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly 406 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The electrical connector assembly 406 has the same members and structure as the electrical connector assemblies 106, 306 shown in FIGS. 1-8 and described above. Similar to electrical connector assembly 106, electrical connector assembly 406 includes a plurality of shield walls 427 that form a shield matrix 430 supported by socket frame 424. The shield wall 427 extends along the base substrate 412 and divides the contact area 428 into shield small areas 444. As shown in FIG. 9, each shield subregion 444 has a single row of electrical contacts 420. There are no intersecting shield walls 427.

10 and 11 are enlarged perspective views showing the shield frame assemblies 508 and 608, respectively. The shield frame assemblies 508 and 608 are part of an electrical connector assembly such as the electrical connector assembly 106 (see FIG. 1), and have the same members and structures as the shield frame assembly 108 (see FIG. 1). Referring to FIG. 10, the shield frame assembly 508 includes shield walls 527A and 527B that engage with each other, and a socket frame (not shown) similar to the socket frame 124 (see FIG. 1). The shield walls 527A and 527B engage with each other to form a shield matrix 530. The shield walls 527A and 527B are similar to the shield walls 127A and 127B (see FIG. 2), and have a cross structure (not shown in FIG. 10) and a ground structure 514. Each intersecting structure of shield wall 527A receives a corresponding intersecting structure of shield wall 527B. Similar to the crossing structures 216 and 236 in FIG. 2, the crossing structure of the shield frame assembly 508 can extend in the lateral direction and overlap the first and second shield walls 527A and 527B. Unlike the shield walls 127A, 127B shown in FIG. 2 where the ground structures 214, 234 are disposed between the intersecting structures 216, 236 along the lengths L ₁ and L ₂ , the ground structure 514 has a corresponding intersecting structure. Placed on top. In FIG. 10, the ground structure 514 is disposed on or aligned with the intersecting structure of the shield walls 527A and 527B.

  In one exemplary embodiment, only the shield wall 527B has a ground structure 514, but in another embodiment, both shield walls 527A, 527B or only the shield wall 527A may have a ground structure 514. In an exemplary embodiment, the shield walls 527A, 527B intersect each other orthogonally. In another embodiment, the shield walls 527A, 527B may be at an angle that is not perpendicular to each other. When the shield walls 527A and 527B intersect, a plurality of small regions including the shield small region 544 are formed. Within each shield subregion 544, at least one electrical contact 520 can be disposed. Shield walls 527A and 527B extend between adjacent electrical contacts 520 to shield adjacent electrical contacts 520 from EMI.

  Each shield subregion 544 can be defined by four wall sections 581-584 of shield walls 527A, 527B that intersect each other at four intersections 591-594. Intersections 591-594 have at least one ground structure 514. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each intersection 591-594 has only a single ground structure 514. However, in other embodiments, more than one ground structure 514 may be used.

  FIG. 11 shows another arrangement of grounding structures 614 in the shield subregion 644. The shield small area 644 is partitioned by four wall sections 681 to 684 of the shield walls 627A and 627B. In one exemplary embodiment, ground structure 614 is disposed between intersections 691-694. For example, for each different pair of adjacent intersections, only a single ground structure 614 is disposed approximately midway between adjacent intersections. In other embodiments, two or more ground structures 614 may be disposed between adjacent intersections. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the ground structure 614 may be disposed between adjacent intersections and at intersections, such as the ground structure 514 of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the shield subregion has at least one grounding structure 514, 614 for each wall section that defines the corresponding shield subregion. In another embodiment, the ratio of the number of wall sections to the number of ground structures in the shield subregion may be less than 1 to 1 or greater than 1 to 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the shield subregions 544, 644 have only one electrical contact 520, 620, although in other embodiments more than one may be used. Similar to the shield frame assembly 108, the shield frame assemblies 508, 608 may use a smaller number of ground contacts compared to other connector assemblies. For example, at least about 60% or at least about 70% of the electrical contacts 520, 620 can be signal contacts configured to transmit data signals, and the remaining electrical contacts 520, 620 can be ground contacts. . In certain embodiments, at least about 90% of the electrical contacts 520, 620 can be signal contacts. In certain embodiments, almost all electrical contacts 520, 620 can be signal contacts.

  FIG. 12 is a partially exploded view of an electrical connector assembly 700 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a configured electrical connector assembly 700. FIG. The electrical connector assembly 700 includes an interposer 710 having a base substrate 712 and an array of electrical contacts 720 coupled to the base substrate 712. The base substrate 712 includes a first side surface 714 and a second side surface 716 that are opposite to each other. Electrical contact 720 is exposed along side 714. Although not shown, the electrical connector assembly 700 includes a socket frame coupled to the interposer. The socket frame may be the same as the socket frames 124 and 424 described above. A contact region 728 exists along side 714. Electrical contact 720 is disposed within contact area 728 and is configured to engage an electronic module (not shown) mounted on contact area 728. The electronic module may be similar to the electronic module 102 (see FIG. 1).

  The electrical connector assembly 700 also includes a plurality of shield walls 727 that extend along the side 714 and divide the contact area 728 into shield subareas 744 (see FIG. 13). The shield wall 727 is made of a conductive material and is electrically connected to the interposer 710. For example, the shield wall 727 is electrically connected to a trace or through hole in the base substrate 712 or is electrically connected to an electrical contact 756 (see FIG. 14). Each shield subregion 744 has one or more electrical contacts 720 therein. As shown, shield wall 727 extends between adjacent electrical contacts 720 to shield electrical contacts 720 from EMI.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the shield wall 727 includes a wall body 752 having a module edge 758 and a part edge 760. Module edge 758 is configured to engage the electronic module and component edge 760 is configured to engage the sidewall 714. As shown, the module edge 758 has a ground structure 764 formed along the module edge 758, and the component edge 760 has a mounting protrusion 762 that protrudes from the component edge 760. In one exemplary embodiment, the ground structure 764 extends toward and is electrically connected to the corresponding electrical contacts 720.

  FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the connector assembly 700 as viewed from the lower surface (ie, the side surface 716). In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting protrusion 762 is configured to be inserted through a slot 765 (also shown in FIG. 12) of the base substrate 712. Two or more mounting protrusions 762 may be electrically connected to the exposed electrical contacts 756 along the side surface 716. For example, six of the sixteen electrical contacts 720 may be coupled to the ground structure 764.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical contacts 756 are solder ball contacts. The mounting protrusions 762 have fingers 763 (also shown in FIG. 12) that extend toward the electrical contacts 756 and are mechanically and electrically connected to the corresponding electrical contacts 756 using, for example, solder paste 770. In other embodiments, the mounting protrusion 762 does not have fingers. For example, the solder paste 770 may extend to the slot 765 in which a part of the mounting protrusion 762 is disposed. As such, electrical connector assembly 700 is configured such that electrical connector assembly 700 has a ground path that extends through shield wall 727 to interposer 710. More specifically, one ground path extends through one ground structure 764, wall body 752, and one mounting protrusion 762. The ground path may be arranged in a predetermined manner to obtain a desired shielding effect for the electrical connector assembly 700.

  FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly 800 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a plan view of electrical connector assembly 800. The electrical connector assembly 800 includes an interposer 810 having a base substrate 812 and an array of electrical contacts 820 coupled to the base substrate 812. The base substrate 812 includes a first side surface 814 and a second side surface 816 (see FIG. 15) that are opposite to each other. Electrical contact 820 is exposed along side 814. Although not shown, the electrical connector assembly 800 includes a socket frame coupled to the interposer. The socket frame may be the same as the socket frames 124 and 424 described above. A contact area 828 exists along side 814. Electrical contact 820 is disposed within contact area 828 and is configured to engage an electronic module (not shown) mounted on contact area 828. The electronic module may be similar to the electronic module 102 (see FIG. 1).

  The electrical connector assembly 800 also includes a plurality of shield walls 827 that extend along the side 814 and divide the contact area 828 into shield subareas 844. The shield wall 827 is made of a conductive material and is electrically connected to the interposer 810. For example, the shield wall 827 is electrically connected to traces or through holes in the base substrate 812 or directly connected to electrical contacts (eg, solder ball contacts; not shown) along the side 816. Each shield subregion 844 has one or more electrical contacts 820 therein. As shown, shield wall 827 extends between adjacent electrical contacts 820 to shield electrical contacts 820 from EMI.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the shield wall 827 includes a wall body 852 having a module edge 858 and a part edge 860. Module edge 858 is configured to engage the electronic module and component edge 860 is configured to engage the sidewall 814. As shown, the module edge 858 has a ground structure 864 formed along the module edge 858. Although not shown, the component edge 860 has a mounting protrusion protruding from the component edge 860. Such mounting protrusions are the same as the mounting protrusions 762 and 212 described above. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground structure 864 extends toward and is electrically connected to corresponding electrical contacts (not shown) of the electronic module. As shown in FIG. 15, the ground structure 864 extends in a direction away from the side surface 814. For example, the ground structure 864 extends at a sharp angle away from the side 814. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground structure 864 extends over the contact hole 865 where no electrical contact 820 is disposed. In other words, some contact holes 865 have corresponding electrical contacts 820 that are mechanically and electrically connected to contact holes 865, while other contact holes 865 do not have electrical contacts 820. The ground structure 864 extends over the empty contact hole 865 and engages the electronic module.

  As such, electrical connector assembly 800 is configured to have a ground path that extends through shield wall 827 to interposer 810. More specifically, one ground path extends from the electronic module through one ground structure 864, wall body 852, and optional mounting protrusions (not shown). The ground path may be arranged in a predetermined manner to obtain a desired shielding effect for the electrical connector assembly 800.

  17-21 illustrate an electrical connector assembly 900 (see FIG. 17) formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the electrical connector assembly 900. The electrical connector assembly 900 operates similarly to the electrical connector assemblies 106, 306, 406, 700 described above. For example, the electrical connector assembly 900 is configured to interconnect an electronic module 940 (see FIG. 21) and electrical components (not shown) and is configured to control or reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) that occurs during operation. The For this purpose, as will be described in detail below, the electrical connector assembly 900 may have a shield wall or a ground matrix having a plurality of shield walls.

  As shown, the electrical connector assembly 900 includes an interposer 902. The interposer 902 has a composite structure composed of a plurality of stacked material layers. The stacked layers are similar to the layers used to use the printed circuit board. For example, the stacked layers may include a layer containing a substrate material (eg, FR-4, polyimide, glass-filled polyimide, metal, etc.), an adhesive material (eg, acrylic adhesive, modified epoxy resin, phenol butyral, pressure sensitive adhesive). (PSA), a layer containing a material impregnated in advance), and a layer containing a conductive material such as copper (or copper alloy), copper nickel, silver epoxy, or the like. In some cases, a layer may have more than one type of material. The interposer 902 may also have various conductive structures such as traces and plated vias (eg, through holes, bottomed vias, etc.).

  In an exemplary embodiment, the interposer 902 has a pair of sides that are opposite to each other. The interposer 902 has a plurality of stacked layers, and the stacked layers have trace pieces and plated vias disposed therein. For example, the interposer 902 includes a board substrate 904. A sheet or layer 912 of conductive material is adhered to the board substrate 904, and a sheet or layer 914 of resist material (or other non-conductive material) is adhered along the conductive sheet 912. Another sheet or layer 916 of resist material is adhered along side 910. Interposer 902 also has a plurality of electrical contacts 906. The electrical contact 906 is disposed in a contact region 920 that extends along the side 908. The electrical contact 906 is exposed to the outside of the electrical connector assembly 900. Similar to the electrical connector assemblies 106, 306, 406, and 700 described above, the electrical contacts 906 are configured to engage an electronic module mounted on the contact area 920.

  The electrical connector assembly 900 includes at least one shield wall configured to separate adjacent electrical contacts 906 as described above for the other electrical connector assemblies 106, 306, 406, and 700. For example, the electrical connector assembly 900 has a shield matrix 918. The shield matrix 918 has a plurality of walls 924-929 attached to the side surface 908 and extending along the side surface 908. The plurality of walls 924 to 929 are formed from a conductive sheet 912 made of a conductive material and a non-conductive sheet 914 made of a resist material. In an exemplary embodiment, the shield matrix 918 is formed by etching the conductive sheet 912 during manufacture of the electrical connector assembly 900 to form openings along the side surfaces 908. For example, the opening exposes a part of the board substrate 904. After the board substrate 904 is exposed, the electrical contacts 906 are coupled to the interposer 902.

  In some embodiments, the conductive sheet 912 still constitutes a single continuous structure along the side 908 after etching. In other embodiments, the shield matrix 918 may have more than one conductive structure along the side 908. For example, the conductive sheet 912 may be etched such that the conductive material is separated into two separate structures. Further, as shown in FIG. 17, the non-conductive sheet 914 made of a resist material may be etched so as to have an opening. Alternatively, the non-conductive sheet 914 may be attached to the conductive sheet 912 after the conductive sheet 912 is etched.

  The walls 924 to 929 include shield walls 924 and 295 and outer walls 926 to 929. The shield walls 924, 925 can extend along two or more electrical contacts 906 and separate adjacent electrical contacts 906. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connector assembly 900 has two or more shield walls 924 and 295 that extend parallel to each other within the shield matrix 918. However, in another embodiment, the shield walls 924, 925 may intersect each other at a predetermined angle (eg, 90 °). Since the shield walls 924, 925 are etched from the conductive sheet 912, the shield walls 924, 925 may be etched to have various structures or patterns. In another embodiment, electrical connector assembly 900 has only one shield wall 924 or 925 instead of having shield matrix 918 of shield walls.

  FIG. 18 is a plan view of the electrical connector assembly 900. The shield walls 924 and 925 extend along the side surface 908 and divide the contact area 920 into shield small areas 922A to 922C. At least one electrical contact 906 is disposed within each shield subregion 922A-922C. Each electrical contact 906 is coupled to a corresponding plated via 934 (eg, a through hole) to electrically connect the electrical contact 906 along the side 910 to another electrical contact 936 (see FIG. 19). As shown, shield walls 924 and 925 extend between adjacent electrical contacts 906 to shield the electrical contacts 906 from EMI. In the illustrated embodiment, only three shield subregions 922A-922C are shown, but in other embodiments only four or more shield subregions or two shield subregions 922 are included. Also good.

  FIG. 18 also shows ground vias 930 and ground traces 932 (shown by dashed circles). Ground trace 932 and ground via 930 are electrically connected to shield matrix 918. A ground trace 932 electrically connects the ground via 930 to the corresponding electrical contact 906 and the plated via 934. During manufacture of the interposer 902, ground vias 930, ground traces 932, and plated vias 934 may be formed on the board substrate 904. In the illustrated embodiment, the ground trace 932 extends along the side 908 and is exposed to the outside, but may be disposed within the board substrate 904 in other embodiments.

  In some embodiments, the conductive sheet 912 (see FIG. 17) is coupled to the ground via 930 within the board substrate 904 when attached to the board substrate 904. The ground trace 932 may be formed from the conductive sheet 912 or may be manufactured from another material. Accordingly, the shield wall 924 is directly coupled to the plurality of ground vias 930 and the shield wall 925 is also directly coupled to the plurality of ground vias 930. In some embodiments, shield walls 924, 925 may be electrically coupled to one or more electrical contacts 906 and plated vias 934 via ground traces 932.

  FIG. 19 is a side view of electrical connector assembly 900. FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the electrical connector assembly 900. As shown, the ground via 930 passes through the interposer 902 to the side 910 where the non-conductive sheet 916 is disposed. Side 910 has a plurality of electrical contacts 936. In the illustrated embodiment, the ground via 930 is not connected to a corresponding electrical contact 936 along the side 910 or within the board substrate 904 (see FIG. 19). Nevertheless, the ground via 930 may be disposed in a predetermined manner relative to the plated via 934 (see FIG. 20). For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the ground via 930 is disposed in the gap between the plated vias 934. More specifically, each ground via 930 in FIG. 20 is surrounded by four plated vias 934. The ground via 930 may have various arrangements relative to the plated via 934, as determined by the desired electrical performance of the electrical connector assembly 900.

  In another embodiment, the shield walls 924, 925 (see FIG. 17) are not electrically coupled to any of the electrical contacts 906 (see FIG. 19). In such an embodiment, the shield walls 924, 925 may have a structure that directly engages the electronic module. For example, a portion of the resist material non-conductive sheet 914 (see FIG. 19) may be removed to expose the underlying conductive sheet 912 (see FIG. 19). In other words, the shield walls 924, 925 or the outer walls 926-929 (see FIG. 17) may have electrical pads that directly engage the electronic module. In these embodiments, the ground via 930 may be electrically coupled to separate the electrical contacts along the side 910.

  FIG. 21 shows a non-engaging position 942 (shown by a broken line) where the electronic module 940 is spaced from the interposer 902 and a mounting position 944 (shown by a solid line) where the electronic module 940 is mounted on the interposer 902 and electrically coupled to the interposer 902. It is sectional drawing of the interposer 902 (refer FIG. 17) which shows the electronic module 940 located in FIG. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical contact 906 includes an elastic beam 948 configured to deflect toward the side surface 908 by the electronic module 940. The electrical contact 906 is biased to resist bending and to resist in a direction away from the side 908.

When the electronic module 940 is positioned at the mounting position 944, the shield walls 924, 925 (see FIG. 17) and the shield matrix 918 (see FIG. 17) are arranged in a grid-like placement plane P configured to mount the electronic module 940. Form _two . The placement plane P ₂ is similar to the placement plane P ₁ and is partitioned by a non-conductive sheet 914. The mounting plane P ₂ acts as a positive stop where the electrical contacts 906 are not over-compressed or unevenly compressed. When the electronic module 940 is mounted on the interposer 902, the mounting plane P ₂ prevents further compression of the electrical contacts 906.

  FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an interposer 952 formed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the interposer 952 includes a board substrate 970, a side surface 954, a sheet of conductive material 956 attached to the side surface 954, and a sheet 958 of non-conductive material (eg, resist) attached to the conductive sheet 956. It comprises. Conductive sheet 956 is etched as described above to form shield subregion 960. However, after the conductive sheet 956 is etched, a non-conductive sheet 958 is attached to the conductive sheet 956. The non-conductive sheet 958 has a cover extension 962 that directly engages the board substrate 970 beyond the conductive sheet 956 in the shield subregion 960. Cover extension 962 acts as a positive stop at shield subregion 960 for electrical contact 964 when electronic module 968 flexes electrical contact 964 toward board substrate 970. In some embodiments, the electrical contacts 964 may extend beyond the non-conductive sheet 958 to project beyond the non-conductive sheet 958. In such a case, electronic module 968 is placed on electrical contact 964 instead of non-conductive sheet 958.

  The embodiments described and illustrated herein have electrical contacts with fewer ground contacts than at least some known electrical connector assemblies for connectors of a given size or for an array having a given number of electrical contacts overall. A connector assembly is provided. The embodiments described and illustrated herein have electrical contacts having more signal contacts than at least some known electrical connector assemblies for connectors of a predetermined size or for an array having a predetermined number of electrical contacts overall. A connector assembly is provided. The embodiments described and illustrated herein provide a higher density of signal contacts than at least some known electrical connector assemblies for connectors of a predetermined size or for an array having a predetermined number of electrical contacts overall. An electrical connector assembly is provided. The embodiments described and illustrated herein provide greater flexibility in the relative placement of signal contacts, ground contacts, and signal contact pairs within an array of electrical contacts than at least some known electrical connector assemblies. An electrical connector assembly is provided. The embodiments described and illustrated herein provide an electrical connector assembly that eliminates the need for a ground contact to be adjacent to a signal contact or disposed between two adjacent signal contacts. The embodiments described and illustrated herein provide an electrical connector assembly that is easier to assemble, costs less to assemble, and requires less time to assemble than at least some known electrical connector assemblies.

102 Electronic Module 106 Electrical Connector Assembly 110 Interposer 114 Side 116 Second Side 118 Array 120 Electrical Contact 127 Shield Wall 127A First Shield Wall 127B Second Shield Wall 128 Contact Area 130 Shield Matrix 208 Mounting Edge 212 Mounting Projection 244 Shield Small Area 256 Electrical contact 904 Board substrate P ₁ Grid-shaped mounting plane

Claims (10)

An electrical connector assembly (106) comprising an interposer (110) having a side surface (114) and an array (118) of electrical contacts (120) exposed along the side surface,
The electrical contact is disposed in a contact area (128) extending along the side surface and configured to engage an electronic module (102) mounted on the contact area;
A shield matrix (130) having a shield wall (127) extending along the side surface and dividing the contact region into a plurality of shield subregions (244);
The shield wall includes a conductive material and is electrically connected to the interposer;
At least one electrical contact is disposed within each of the shield subregions;
The electrical connector assembly, wherein the shield wall extends between adjacent electrical contacts to shield the adjacent electrical contacts from electromagnetic interference.   2. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shield wall is formed by punching or etching a sheet of conductive material. The shield wall is stamped and mechanically coupled to the interposer;
The electrical connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the shield wall protrudes perpendicularly from the side wall. The interposer includes a board substrate (904),
The sheet of conductive material is bonded to the board substrate;
3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the shield wall is etched from the sheet of conductive material.   The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shield wall includes a first shield wall (127A) and a second shield wall (127B) that intersect each other. The plurality of first shield walls extend parallel to each other,
6. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of second shield walls extend parallel to each other. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shield matrix forms a grid-like mounting plane (P ₁ ) configured to mount the electronic module.   The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein at least two of said shield walls extend parallel to each other. The shield wall has a mounting edge (208) configured to connect to the electronic module, and a ground structure (214) disposed along the mounting edge,
The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a ground path is defined through the ground structure to the interposer. The side surface is a first side surface;
The interposer has a second side surface (116) opposite to the first side surface,
The shield wall includes a mounting protrusion (212) that penetrates the interposer and is mechanically and electrically coupled to a corresponding electrical contact (256) along the second side. An electrical connector assembly as described.

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